Simon Leadbetter
Associate Partner, GCC
GCC practice · UAE
Governance, risk and compliance across the UAE, its free zones and its AI ambitions.
Most organisations in the UAE answer to more than one regime at once: federal law, a free zone such as the DIFC or ADGM, and a sector regulator. Each has its own rules and its own supervisor.
We map them together and run one programme from our Dubai office, so you meet every requirement without building three compliance functions.
- DIFC-approved Accredited Certification Body for Regulation 10
- Office at Dubai World Trade Centre
- DPO as a Service for the UAE, the DIFC and the ADGM
§ 01The national agenda
UAE AI Strategy 2031
The UAE aims to lead in AI adoption. We build AI governance that lets you move quickly and still stand up to regulator review.
We the UAE 2031
The national vision puts digital trust and a competitive economy at its centre. Strong governance supports both.
Child Digital Safety Law
New duties for digital platforms and service providers that children use. We help assess whether it applies and what to change.
§ 02The regulators
01
Data Office
UAE Data Office
The federal data protection authority under Federal Decree-Law 45 of 2021 (PDPL).
02
DIFC
DIFC Commissioner of Data Protection
Supervises the DIFC Data Protection Law 2020 and Regulation 10 on autonomous and semi-autonomous systems.
03
ADGM
ADGM Office of Data Protection
Supervises the ADGM Data Protection Regulations 2021.
04
CBUAE
Central Bank of the UAE
Sets regulations and standards for licensed financial institutions, including consumer protection, outsourcing and AML.
05
DoH
Department of Health, Abu Dhabi
Sets health data and cybersecurity standards for healthcare providers in Abu Dhabi.
§ 03What's live now
PDPL in force, executive regulations pending
The federal law applies, but its executive regulations are still awaited. Build the programme now so you are not caught by a short runway.
DIFC Regulation 10 certification live
Organisations deploying AI systems in the DIFC can now be certified. WLC is a DIFC-approved Accredited Certification Body.
§ 04The team behind the work
Federico Marengo
Associate Partner, Head of AI and Transformation
Eva Mathur
Junior Associate, Governance, Compliance, and Data Protection
Meet the full team.
§ 05Your contact
Simon Leadbetter
Associate Partner, GCC
WhatsApp or call +971 558 701 959, or send us a message.